Recall of Comstock Township official pursued

COMSTOCK - Less than eight months before the next election, a Comstock Township resident is moving to cut short township Trustee Bill Shields' term in office, claiming Shields has become a "hindrance" to the community.

"He used to be quite a leader," said Art Austin, who runs Austin Sand and Gravel in Kalamazoo. "At one time I admired this man for the way he was."

Austin hopes to get a recall question before township voters on the Aug. 5 primary ballot.

Shields, the Comstock Township Board's longest-serving trustee, is expected to seek another four-year term in the November general election.

He has been at the center of controversy since January when he filed a federal lawsuit against his fellow board members, alleging that his First Amendment rights were violated last year at a Township Board meeting.

Shields said Monday the recall was in retaliation for a prior conflict he'd had with Austin over a business Austin ran out of his home. Austin denied the claim.

At Monday night's regular Township Board meeting, Austin asked the residents in attendance to stand if they supported his effort to recall Shields. About 30 of the nearly 70 people stood, including State Rep. Lorence Wenke, R-Galesburg.

A hearing will be held March 27 to determine whether the recall language is valid. If the language is approved, Austin will need to gather 1,561 signatures of residents in support of the recall by May 2 to get the question on the ballot.

Also Monday, the Township Board declined to hear Shields' offer to pay for drug tests for board members, noting that the issue is part of Shields' pending lawsuit.